Children's Home run by Throughomes Ltd in Derby

Inspection report for children’s home: 2716966 1 Registered provider: Throughomes Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and operated by a private provider. It is registered to provide care for up to two children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Two children are currently being cared for in this home.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager is suitably experienced and has been in post since the home opened on 14 March 2023.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2716966 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

Not previously inspected Inspection report for children’s home: 2716966 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff care for children and help them to settle when they arrive at the home. Children can identify trusted adults. They enjoy spending time with staff and will show affection through asking for hugs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the children to take part in a variety of activities. Children enjoy good relationships with each other. When children disagree, staff support them to resolve their differences. This means that children develop skills in managing conflict.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All children have an education placement. One child has been able to maintain their existing school placement due to staff supporting with school transport. Staff encourage children to attend school even when they are reluctant to participate. One child has become more enthusiastic about their education and is looking forward to starting at a new school. Staff have found a volunteering opportunity for a child who is interested in a career in care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to attend health appointments. If children need specialist health advice, staff arrange this quickly. Staff have supported one child to have a better sleep routine. As a result, their emotional health has improved, and they feel ready to return to school.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children’s relationships with their families. Staff have good communication with family members and keep them updated. One professional said that staff have helped a child to improve their relationship with their family. As a result, one child is enjoying more quality time with a family member.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Children feel listened to. They meet with staff every Sunday to talk about what has gone well. If children raise concerns, staff take action or explain why they cannot make changes. Children seek out staff and talk about worries. This helps to relieve children’s anxieties and it makes them feel safer.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff have a good understanding of children’s risks and vulnerabilities. Risk assessments provide clear guidance for staff about how to protect children. The manager works effectively with other agencies where there are concerns relating to children being at risk of exploitation. Parents and professionals say they have excellent communication with the manager and staff.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

When risk taking behaviours have reduced for children, the manager and staff have advocated for children so that they can be rewarded with additional independence. For example, one child is working towards increased independent time in the community. They are proud of this achievement. Children are supported by staff to develop strategies and keep themselves safe. Inspection report for children’s home: 2716966 4 The manager carries out safe recruitment checks. When necessary, the manager uses a small team of temporary staff who are known to the children. This means that children experience consistent care.

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good

If children want a decision to be made or if they have any concerns, they say that they will wait to speak to the manager about these matters. This is because some children feel that they do not always get a consistent response when they speak to staff. The manager recognises that this is an area for development. The manager aims to develop staff so that children can be provided with more-consistent care.

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good

The manager does not yet have a good understanding of the home’s strengths and areas for development. There are no internal monitoring systems to inform service development. The manager does not yet have oversight of direct work with children. As a result, there is a lack of planning to ensure that children’s needs are met.

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good

Staff do not receive regular supervision. Staff joining the team do not receive a robust induction. This is necessary to ensure that staff are equipped to understand the needs of the children. Staff say that they find it difficult to navigate the computerised records. Staff are not yet supported by the manager to reflect on their care practice. This is necessary to improve outcomes for children.

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good

There are areas in the home which are not yet modernised. In addition, the garden is overgrown, which means that children are not able to make good use of this space. The house does not yet reflect the personalities and preferences of the children.

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good

Staff receive training which is appropriate to meet the needs of the children. A clinical psychologist meets with staff to provide specialist training. Staff receive training and are confident in their safeguarding knowledge. This helps to keep children safer. Inspection report for children’s home: 2716966 5

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that robust quality assurance and monitoring systems are in place and used regularly. It also requires the manager to have oversight of direct work with children. 31 October 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This particularly relates to supervision of staff taking place in line with the home’s policy of a minimum of six times a year and every two weeks during induction. 31 October 2023

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Recommendations

 The registered person should seek to meet children’s basic needs in the way that a good parent would, recognising that many children in residential care have experienced environments where these needs have not been consistently met. Doing so is an important aspect of demonstrating that the staff care for the children and value them as individuals. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.7) Inspection report for children’s home: 2716966 6  The registered person should have a workforce plan which can fulfil the workforce-related requirements of regulation 16, schedule 1. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8)

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, using the social care common inspection framework. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’. Inspection report for children’s home: 2716966 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Throughomes Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 11 Westgreen Avenue, Allenton, Derby DE24 9AP

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Inspector

Alli Tandy, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2716966 8 to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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